Set in Ink
by TappityTap
Summary: "From then on, it became their own private ritual: She'd arrive at his place, they'd talk, she'd undress, he'd draw her, she'd look at his work and compliment it, he'd touch her until she quivered and cried out his name in a sweet burst of release. This ritual was always the same but somehow different and exciting every time. " Pure SaiIno smut. Some canon pairings mentioned.
1. Part I

_Merry Christmas SaiIno fans! This is my first time writing these two and I hope I did them justice. Part II of this story will be coming soon-ish. As in possibly tomorrow. I'm almost finished with it. lol_

 _If you end up liking this story and have a tumblr account, please consider reblogging it there! (link at the end) I'm pretty new and my stuff isn't showing up in the tags yet ;_;_

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 _"Ino…"_

Where was that voice coming from? There was nothing but a sandy beach and rolling waves for miles. Overhead the sun shone brightly in the cerulean sky.

 _"Hey, Ino…"_

She looked to her right. A white bird with black markings perched on a rock, watching her with beady red eyes. Could it possibly have…? No, that would be silly. She'd never met a talking bird before.

 _"Wake up, Beautiful."_

The beach, sky, and bird grew fuzzy and muddled. A face slowly swam into view, porcelain skin with dark hair sweeping across even darker eyes, peering down at her. She smiled up at it in hazy recognition. _What a nice face…_

Her bleary eyes finally focused and she pushed several wayward strands of pale yellow hair out of her field of vision. The face, now clearly that of a handsome young man kneeling over her, gave a small grin. "Did you enjoy your nap?"

Suddenly, it all came rushing back. Reclining on a pile of cushions…thin white sheet draped loosely over her bare body…a strong, pale hand skillfully running an ink-soaked brush over fresh parchment… _OH!_

Ino's hands swiftly flew to her mouth in embarrassment. "Ah, no, Sai, I fell asleep! I'm so sorry." She felt her cheeks burn red-hot.

"Please, don't be. It was actually very helpful." Sai beamed at her now. "You moved a lot less than usual."

Ino stretched her stiff muscles out and arched an eyebrow at him. "Excuse me, but until _you've_ had to stay still in the same pose for over an hour, you don't get to talk."

"I have done that before." Sai replied, plainly, with a slight shrug of his shoulders. His eyes briefly flickered down to her chest, which had been exposed when the sheet fell away during her stretches.

She couldn't tell for sure if he was being serious or just joking around…it was sometimes hard to read him. But maybe that's what she liked about him. Unlike most men who were just too _predictable_ for an expert in the mind like herself, he could surprise her at any moment. It kept her on her toes, off-balance, and enthralled all at once.

When he first asked her if she would like to pose for his drawings several months ago, she had been completely taken aback. Until then, most of his art that she'd seen was nature-related, like landscapes or plants, even a few animals aside from the ones he used in his jutsu. He rarely drew people and the people he did draw were only ones with whom he'd formed a close relationship. While they weren't exactly _dating_ then, per say, both were fully aware of their mutual interest and had begun spending a lot of time together to get to know each other better.

That day, he sat on a stool next to the register, idly doodling some flower bouquets as Ino bustled about her family's shop to prepare a large order for a wedding the following week. The question came when she stood up and brushed her hands on her apron after re-potting some lilies. She realized with a flutter of her stomach that he had long since stopped drawing and was watching her with his chin resting on his fist. His eyes, oddly enough, seemed a bit softer than usual.

Nervously (but delighted nonetheless), she accepted.

The first time…did not go well at all. Sure, she knew how to pose just right in order to tease and tempt, but posing for a drawing was a whole different story. Sai ended up having to start over a total of ten times as she accidentally shifted out of her pose whenever a muscle began cramping. Well, the last time wasn't exactly accidental; She had given up in frustration after her outstretched arm prickled a little too painfully when it fell asleep and stormed out of his apartment in a huff.

Sai had waited patiently until she came back 15 minutes later, filled with shame for her childish behavior, and apologized to him profusely. He forgave her on the condition that they could try again the next day.

"Why do you want to draw me so much?" she had asked without thinking.

He smiled that true, genuine smile she rarely saw from him, and told her in an uncharacteristically tender voice "I make it a point to draw every beautiful thing I see."

Several weeks later, after she'd gotten the hang of being his model and muse, she suggested he try drawing her without her clothes on.

He hadn't looked up from his work, but she could see his face suddenly gain color (highly unusual for someone whose complexion was only a shade darker than raw bread dough) and the brush skitter slightly over the paper before stopping entirely. A minute passed in silence until his voice cracked.

"W-why would I want to do that?" He swallowed back a laugh with a bit more force than necessary.

Emboldened by this sudden switch from his usually calm and composed demeanor, Ino tossed her long hair behind her with a silvery laugh. "Well…don't all artists do nude drawings to sharpen their skills or something?" She lowered her eyelids and put on the flirtiest voice she could muster, "You're an amazing artist, Sai. I want to help you in _any_ way I can."

His cheeks flushed darker than ever, but he agreed to it in the end.

Whatever was between them changed drastically after that. At first, he had kept his distance, respectfully averting his eyes as she disrobed and staying put in his chair to direct her poses. It wasn't until their fifth or sixth time that he silently put down the parchment and walked over to her, brush still in hand.

"No, no. Like this." He gently took hold of her left hand with his free one and guided it to rest just over her right breast. As he let go, his cold fingertips brushed against her heated skin. The sensation raised goosebumps all the way down her front, and with a jolt, she felt the peaks of her breasts swell into hardened nubs. His breath came out in a heavy stutter soon after; When her eyes met his darkened gaze, she knew he knew she was aware.

For a moment, they had both stared in silence, frozen, heartbeats mutually quickening into deep throbs. His hand hovered inches over her until she reached out and moved it to slowly slide around the swell of her breast. She closed her eyes and gasped softly as his thumb brushed over the tip.

She felt him shudder. " _Ino…"_

He had never used her actual name before then, only ever addressing her by the nickname "Beautiful" and hearing him say it in this way now filled her with a new kind of need that spiraled through her body and drilled into her very being. As if on its own accord, her other hand knocked the paint brush away, then carefully led his now empty hand lower, lower, to where that need burned and ached for him the most. Through slitted eyelids she watched him tremble, eyes wide and lips slowly parting around her name in silent reverence.

Softly, deliberately, she pressed him into her, guiding him in the small smooth motions she'd practiced alone in the dark of her room so many times before, showing him just what he needed to do to soothe that burning ache. The sheer intensity of the pleasure that resulted from the unfamiliar touch of another's fingers on her, then _in_ her, made her bite down on her lower lip. A sigh of air left her lungs in a low moan.

" _Sai_ … _please touch me_."

From then on, it became their own private ritual: She'd arrive at his place, they'd talk, she'd undress, he'd draw her, she'd look at his work and compliment it, he'd touch her until she quivered and cried out his name in a sweet burst of release. This ritual was always the same but somehow different and exciting every time.

Occasionally, their talks would be accompanied by food or drink. Small snacks usually, as their sessions took place in the early afternoon, but if one of them had a mission they would postpone until dinnertime. She liked when they shared full meals the best, and when she told him this, he agreed.

Sometimes, she undressed herself completely. Other times she would flash him a coy smile and drop her hands to her sides as he stepped up to delicately remove her clothes, piece by piece. The touching started early when this happened, though she never found a reason to complain. His caresses always worked wonders on her.

And rarely, after the paints had dried and she had been sated many times over by his talented hands, he would allow her to touch him as well. But this was seldom, as he would sigh a laugh and explain to her gently, "I get enough pleasure capturing you with ink and paper."

No matter what happened, Ino enjoyed their arrangement very much.

Now, ignoring that most of the sheet lay crumpled around her waist, Ino leaned forward to take the finished piece Sai presented to her. Right away, as she held it in her hands, she could tell this one was different. The lines were clean and smooth from brush strokes painted leisurely, unlike the usual quick sketchiness of his other artworks. It gave everything in the painting an almost ethereal quality; The cotton sheets swirled around her like silk and her long blond hair cascaded in waterfalls over the downy pillows. In the very center, her peacefully sleeping face shone soft and radiant.

Ino looked up, trying to ignore the strange stinging sensation behind her eyes and glowing warmth in her gut. "Sai, it's so beautiful." she breathed.

Sai let out one of his quiet half-chuckles. "I was inspired. You are very beautiful when you sleep."

Oh. Right. She grinned and rolled her eyes to shake off the odd feelings. "So, how long was I out exactly?" The edge of the parchment scratched the front of his shirt as she held it out to him.

Sai accepted the drawing from her and hoisted himself off the floor. "Not long. About 50 minutes, I think." He looked down at her warmly "You looked so peaceful I didn't want to wake you."

"Mmm." She watched him walk over and place the piece of parchment on his empty chair, heart pounding in anticipation of what was coming next. Her thighs involuntarily rubbed together.

When he returned to her and their lips finally met she couldn't help but smile into his kisses, now expertly paced from all the practice they'd gone through over the past few months. He tasted salty, but only slight and not nearly enough to disgust. He smelled like the parchment and ink that went everywhere with him, along with something organic…grass, maybe? Whatever it was, she loved it and relished every inhale she took whenever they were close.

An unfamiliar sensation made her start and pull away. When she looked down, she saw that Sai had brought over a clean, ink-free paintbrush and was lightly running it over her collarbone.

Sai stopped, head cocked. "Is this unpleasant?"

"No, it's just…I wasn't expecting it." She laughed and leaned back so he could have full access to her front. "Please continue, O Master Artist."

With a nod, Sai continued moving the brush until it reached her shoulder, then he pulled it back again, making short, light sweeps down until he reached her breasts. From there, he switched the movements to tiny swirls. A shiver ran down her spine as the circling brush ghosted over her nipple and drew out the tip into a pucker. With each stroke, the soft bristles lit up every nerve ending in her body, heightening her senses. Down below, she could feel her arousal slowly growing.

"Do you like this?" Sai asked as he turned his attention to the other side.

Ino sighed and arched so that her breasts thrust closer to him. "Mmm. It's very nice. Creative, too."

Sai laughed softly. "I read about it in a book. You can also use feathers, fabric, even hair." He gave the brush a final twirl and sat back to look at her.

That boy and his damn books. Normally, Ino found herself suppressing urges to rip said books from his hands and chuck them into the nearest body of water or fireplace. She thought they were stupid and even if their advice was well-intended, it never seemed to get across to Sai in a way that was actually beneficial to his relationships. But to their credit, the advice he took from this one seemed to be working far more effectively than usual. And she had to admit, she was _very_ eager to see what other things he had picked out to use on her.

So she played along.

"Oh? A book?" Ino leaned forward and traced the front of his shirt with her fingertip, letting her voice drop down a pitch. "And is there anything else you learned from this book that you would like to share?"

Suddenly, she found herself flat on her back, pressed into the pile of pillows, her long hair tangled in knots around her. The sheet covering her lower half slowly pulled away and was tossed it somewhere nearby.

Dazed, Ino looked up at the man holding himself over her, eyeing her, almost hungrily. She had only seen him like this a couple times and it just so happened that those times remained stored in her mind as well preserved memories that she _frequently_ liked to access.

The thought of gaining another one to add to the collection made her stomach do several backflips.

With the paintbrush long gone now, Sai sat back on his haunches, placing a hand on each kneecap and pushing her legs out. He glanced down with an unreadable expression. "You are a lot wetter than usual today." He stated as casually as one would when discussing the weather.

Ino knew better, though. The last time he had noted this out loud to her, she ended up on all fours biting into a pillow to muffle her cries, although once he put all of his fingers to work, she began climaxing and screamed his name so loud one of his neighbors ran over to bang on the door and ask who the hell was being murdered.

So when he didn't move his hands at all, she nearly growled in frustration. "Sai, are you going to _do_ something?"

Sai's familiar sly, fox-like smile made an appearance. "Hmm, I wonder." After careful consideration, he finally moved to trace down the very center of the swelling mound between her legs with his fingertip. When he pulled away, a thin string of moisture connected them for the briefest instant.

Slowly his gaze moved back to her. Eyes narrowing, he watched her breathing grow ragged as he sucked her fluids from his finger and smoothly lowered himself until she could feel his warm breath where his finger had been just moments before.

 _…fuck._

Ino had heard about this from _Hinata_ of all people (though it took quite a bit of coaxing to even get it out of her), that while sexual activity with the man you love was breathtaking in any form, there was nothing quite like the feeling of his mouth and tongue tasting and exploring the most intimate parts of you. She remembered how Sakura had spat out her drink-narrowly missing TenTen with the spray-and gaped at Hinata, absolutely flabbergasted.

"Naruto likes to do _what_?"

Hinata flushed and looked down at the table. The nervous stutter they all thought she had fully repressed as a teenager suddenly made a grand re-appearance. "W-well…you see…he's very good with his mouth and it feels really nice when he uses it…ah…down…down th-there…"

"But…but does it _work_?" Ino had pressed her, suddenly very interested in this revolutionary new information, "I mean, does he make you come when he does that?"

Hinata's reply was to flare up redder than a tomato and bury her face in her hands after barely getting out a small " _yes_ ". The entire table flew into a frenzied uproar, so much so that several other patrons at Yakiniku-Q were interrupted from their meals enough to shoot them a few glares.

Most likely due to the copious amount of alcohol consumed that night, by the time their next drawing rendezvous rolled around Ino had completely forgotten about her plan to ask Sai if he'd be willing to do that for her. It was obvious now, though, that had she asked, the answer would've been yes. On the other hand, she had tried pleasuring him with her mouth once but he hadn't seemed to enjoy it very-

 _"A-ahh!"_

The coarse surface of his tongue on her sensitive flesh drew her out of her thoughts and back to the present. Greedily, he drank her essence in, lavishing her with indolent licks and rolling swipes of his tongue in return. The fringe of his bangs skimmed the smooth, bare skin just above (she preferred to keep herself entirely clean shaven unlike most girls her age-it was just a preference) until she grasped and tugged them back in her feverish haze.

In response, Sai closed his lips over the very top of her sex and made a deliberately deep vocalization. The strong vibrations it produced made her cry out and pull his hair even harder.

Soon his tongue travelled down to explore even lower-she would have never guessed _that_ would feel this good-and his fingers were only too eager to pick up where it left off. His thumb pushed inside, massaging her at the core and when paired with the two fingers rubbing firmly at the throbbing nub above, the job was soon done. Ino shuddered as she felt the telltale tightening deep within.

" _Sai…oh, Sai…I-I'm coming. I'm COMING."_ she gasped out, clutching his hair for dear life.

His fingers picked up speed to match the spasms of her hips, his tongue and teeth licked and nibbled below until finally, she threw her head back and let her release radiate through her entire body.

Her long hair clung to her in matted clumps as she struggled to sit up after experiencing such a sensation. She clumsily peeled them off her damp skin best she could, chest rising and falling heavily. "Sai, that was _incredible_ ," she breathed as he rested his chin on the bridge between her hipbones, "You really got that all from a book?"

He gave her a wry smile. "I thought you hated my books?"

She twiddled a strand of hair between her fingers, matching his expression. "You can keep this one. The rest have _got_ to go."

"Hm. I'll think about it."

"Riiight."

Sai suddenly twitched and lifted off of her as if he had remembered something important. He swiftly stood up. "Excuse me for a moment."

Ino almost pouted at the loss of contact between them. "Where are you going?" she asked as he disappeared around the corner into his bedroom.

"I'm brushing my teeth." He called back to her.

Sure enough, light from the bathroom flooded through the bedroom door and she could hear the water running.

Ino crossed her arms and shot him an annoyed look when he returned. "Do I really taste _that_ bad?"

"No, no. You taste fine." He settled himself over her, nudging her legs apart and resting his full weight onto her body once more. "It's good oral hygiene practice after eating someone out."

Ino silently laughed to herself at the halting way he said the last part. Over the years, he had drastically improved when it came to adding slang and colloquialisms into his vocabulary in a more natural way but sometimes his awkwardness with the vernacular of his peer group still showed through.

Truthfully, if it had been anyone else she would never have been able to stand it, but in Sai's case she found it absolutely endearing.

Now he smelled and tasted of strong mint when they kissed. She jerked as the rough fabric of his pants slid across her. "Haaa…careful, Sai, I'm still kind of sensitive."

He pulled back and put on the most unconvincing innocent expression she had ever seen in her life. "Oh, are you?"

"You know very well I am after I-aahhh…ah… _ahhhh_."

This time he had deliberately pressed into her with a slight roll of his hips, using just enough pressure for her to feel how hard he was getting. His moan almost harmonized with hers.

"Is this…another…book thing…?" she managed to pant out as Sai repeated the action with slightly more force.

"Y-yes." he grunted. He reached down to pull her hips tightly against his and made one rough grind after the other. Beads of sweat started forming on his face with each effort. His shirt grazed her breasts and the effect was much like the paintbrush he used on her earlier. "If…make you…come…shortly after…more…better…"

Ino would have laughed at his floundering incoherency if it weren't for the strong crackles of pleasure that jolted through her every time he moved…it was painful, excruciating, but no, at the same time it was wonderful, far more wonderful than anything she'd felt before then. One second she wanted it to stop forever, and the next she found herself praying it would never end. Laugh? She could barely _think_. Grabbing blindly at his hair, his shirt was a reflexive action now and he was the one leading their wild kisses that actually managed to successfully land.

"Sai, _fuck_ , _FUUUUCK_."

The second orgasm rushed at her almost twice as hard and fast as the first. It clenched every muscle, every bone in her body and she felt her legs draw up until her knees bumped his shoulders. Her back arched so violently she even could hear a few joints popping.

After what seemed like an eternity, she finally felt the tension melt away and let go of him to fall back into the pillows. Slowly, her breathing settled back into its normal pace. Above her, Sai stiffened, his normally smooth brow furrowed tightly. It took Ino a few muddled moments to put together that unlike her, he had yet to experience any kind of release and had held himself back halfway through his build-up to let her ride hers out.

Thankfully, he didn't protest when Ino reached up to tear open his shirt and instead helped her by quickly yanking it off himself while she unzipped his pants-stained all down the front with her fluids-and pushed them and his underwear to his knees. She didn't even wait for him to fully kick off his remaining clothes before wrapping her hands around him and stroking, stroking firm but slow, just how he liked it.

Sai sprawled onto his back next to her in complete surrender. This time, it was her turn to hold herself over him and watch the various muscles all over his well-toned body clench and jump in accordance with the movements of her hands. His head fell back in exquisite agony, eyes shut tight.

She remembered the first time she had seen him fully naked. Ironically, it had not been during one of their life drawing sessions but rather on the way back from completing a long-term mission that had required constant vigilance and gave them no time to themselves. When no one was looking, they had snuck off from camp into a moonlit clearing and soon Ino found herself backed up against a tree with Sai's hands sliding up her thighs and under her skirt as their lips met for the first time in over two weeks.

" _Mmm…yes…right there…"_ Ino had whispered frantically when he tugged down her underwear and held her in his hand. His fingers moved in a steady rhythm until she could no longer stand and together they collapsed on the ground. She straddled his thighs, riding his thrumming fingers up and over the final crest as he kissed her breath away.

It didn't take her long to notice the slightly pained, desperate look on his face and the hardening length underneath her once she came down off her high. So she kissed him gently and brushed her fingertips over every inch of him she could possibly reach.

"I want to see you. All of you." She traced the thin sliver of exposed skin on his abdomen and lifted the hem of his shirt, just a little. His breath faltered, and for a moment she thought he would refuse until he crossed his arms to draw his shirt up and over his head in one swift motion then lay back so she could take care of the rest.

Soon after, he lay under her, the hard planes of his pale skin bathed in the glow of the fireflies drifting lazily around them, hair disheveled, and dark eyes glazed over. At that moment, she decided he was the most beautiful man she had ever laid eyes on…and then she saw it.

Being a medical ninja, she'd of course seen her fair share of that particular body part, but as she wracked her brain she couldn't come up with a single one of them that matched his in size.

"Sai," she stammered, her eyes wide with shock, "y-your…"

He blinked up at her. "Is something wrong?"

Ino hadn't been able to tear her eyes away from him. "That's…it's _enormous_ ," she finally managed to choke out, "I've never seen one that big before."

"Oh." Sai looked down at himself. "I didn't realize."

The way he said it was so blasé and indifferent that Ino couldn't help herself…she started laughing. Hard. So hard that tears started gathering at the corners of her eyes. She knew Sai had a habit of making jabs at Naruto for being small, but from the bits and pieces she'd managed to coax out of Hinata after several drinks it always sounded to her like Naruto was pretty averagely built. It all made sense now: _Anyone_ would look small compared to Sai.

That night was also the first time they had joined together to make love, out there in the tall grass under the stars. Her thighs clenched around his hips as he pushed a steady rhythm into her, _carefully,_ to acquaint his girth as painlessly as possible, and held her tight in his strong arms. Thrust after gentle thrust, he sighed into her ear, " _Ino…Ino…_ "

When they came it was in unison, and the feeling of being entwined at the very center of each other's releases shook them to the core, left them trembling in bliss long after it ended. The sheer, raw beauty of the moment more than made up for the painful chigger bites they suffered from for days after…and having to endure an angry lecture from Shikamaru after he figured out just what they'd been doing in their hours-long absence from camp.

In the time it took her to reminisce, they had somehow travelled from the pile of pillows in the front room to his bed. She knew what that meant; He only ever moved them to the bedroom if he was in the mood to go all the way.

And boy, was he in the mood.

She'd landed on her side at the end of the bed, one leg hanging halfway off the edge and the other up in the air hooked over his shoulder. Her position gave him the perfect opportunity to slip two of his fingers into her and start spreading her open, all the while listing a bevvy of things that could possibly make the next hour or so more exciting. At this point, however, she was already so turned on and aching it was frustrating her more than exciting her and she needed him in her _right now_.

"…or I could blindfold you. Would you like that?" a third finger drove slowly into her, almost tauntingly.

Ino groaned and bit into her knuckles, tiny beads of salty sweat stinging her tongue. "Unngh, Sai, I don't _care_ , just _fuck_ me already."

"But you're not ready yet." She could practically _hear_ the indecent smirk on his face. "Doesn't it feel so much better when you-"

"Sai, god damn it, if your dick is not inside me in the next ten seconds _I am going to rip it off and put it in there myself_."

Sai's hand stopped moving. "I don't think you'd do that." he replied flatly after a moment of consideration.

That did it. While she knew she would never actually go through with a threat like that, she couldn't give him the satisfaction of conceding while she had a chance to snatch away the upper hand. With a growl, Ino swiftly sat up and grabbed his erection, glaring squarely into his stunned face. " _Try me_."

A tense silence reverberated in the small space between them and Sai's look of surprise gradually shifted back to its default neutral. The storm of wicked cunningness brewing in his eyes, however, gave his game away completely. "Then perhaps you should be more… _assertive_."

The corners of her lips twitched upward in response to his challenge. Oh, this was going to be so much _fun_.

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 _Thank you so much for reading! Again, if you enjoyed it I would appreciate a reblog from my tumblr_

 _Part II coming up next!_


	2. Part II

_Wow! I didn't expect to get any reviews, let alone multiple ones already? Thank you so much! I'm so glad people are enjoying my writing. :)_

 _I mentioned I'd post the link to my tumblr at the end of part I and I did! But it doesn't show up for some reason. Hm. Well, if I can't post the link, I can just give you my username ( **tappity-tap** ) and you can fill in the rest of the url. lol Please do visit and reblog if you like this story!_

 _While part I was hardcore sexytimes, part II is fluffy pillow talk. Enjoy!_

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Ino rested her forehead against his, gasping for breath and trying to force her erratic heartbeat to return to normal. With her body pressed as tightly as it was to his, she could feel Sai's heartbeat and breathing had already slowed to their regular pace. She was not as skilled at composing herself after strenuous activity so it took significantly more time. Yet as always, without a word of complaint, he leisurely combed his fingers through the tangles of hair blanketing her back as he waited for her to attain that same calm.

"God, that was _good_ , Sai. That was _really_ good." she finally murmured, unable to help the euphoric grin that blossomed onto her face.

Below her, Sai hummed lethargically in agreement. His eyelids slowly lowered and he sighed, head lolling slightly to the right. It was a rarity to see him let on just how exhausted he was and Ino had a sneaking suspicion she was one of the privileged few (if not the only one) he allowed to witness such a sight.

Sitting up, Ino laughed and gently brushed his bangs off his sweaty forehead. "What, was it too much for you?" she teased, though truthfully it was taking all her strength not to just collapse on top of him and let sleep overtake them both for the next year or two.

Sai cracked one eye back open to watch her climb off of him. Wordlessly, he stretched out his arm so she could rest her head on his shoulder and did not answer until he had drawn her in snug against him. "Yes. But I do not mind."

Ino happily settled around him as he held her. She didn't mind either. Lazily basking in the afterglow of some of the best, most intense sex she'd ever had with him felt…well… _right._ There wasn't any better word for it.

"We could stay just like this, you know. " she poked his sternum with a grin and commanded in her best captain's voice, "Sai, send a messenger bird to Kakashi-sensei and let him know the both of us will be in bed, doing whatever we feel like, for at least three months and not to assign us any missions. Or worry about our well-being." She added thoughtfully.

The vibrations of a low chuckle rumbled through his chest. "Three months? But what about next week?"

Ino nuzzled deeper into his side and let her hand drift around his torso in nonsensical shapes, paying particularly close attention to his abdomen. "What about next week?"

Sai reached over and lifted up her chin. "Shikamaru and Temari's wedding. Did you forget?"

Oh, duh! Ino nearly stopped caressing him to smack herself on the forehead for letting that slip her mind. How on earth could she nearly forget one of her closest childhood friends was getting married in one week's time? While Old Shikamaru wouldn't have cared at all (in fact, he'd probably be downright grateful if she missed it altogether), New Shikamaru-the one with numerous village responsibilities and a wife-would never let her live it down if this got out.

"I didn't _forget_ ," she quickly fibbed, with a tap to his nose for emphasis, "I just…still need to find something to wear. I can't show up to every wedding in the same outfit I wore to Naruto and Hinata's now, can I?"

"Why not? It looked nice on you."

That was true. It did look good on her. It also looked good on her bedroom floor later that night.

"Sai" Ino chided gently, "A girl as stylish as me needs something new and exciting for every occasion or else people get tired of her." She watched her fingertip trace around his navel in small circles. "And I suppose I should get another one for Chouji while I'm at it."

"Chouji?"

She grunted. "I mean, they haven't announced it yet but it'll happen soon. Just watch."

Sai must have noticed the grimace on her face and his thumb stroked across as if to wipe it off. "Isn't that a good thing?" he asked.

 _No_ Ino thought to herself, but she wasn't about to say that out loud. "I'm happy for Chou, really, but couldn't he have picked someone else?" Ino grumbled instead.

Sai smiled at her disgust. "I like Karui-san. She is very open about what she thinks."

Of course he would. Ino rolled her eyes and puffed out her cheeks in a huff. "Yeah, that's _exactly_ the problem. Can we not talk about her, please?"

Truthfully, it wasn't so much that Karui was rather blunt when it came to her thoughts and opinions; Ino knew that she herself exhibited that trait and it wouldn't be very fair to dislike someone else for it. It was simply a matter of said thoughts and opinions always seeming to directly contradict her own. Had they been more agreeable on certain subjects, or one of them been more willing to keep her sentiments to herself, Ino felt without a doubt they could have been good friends. But in the end, it all came down to how Chouji felt and Ino was gracious enough to put aside her own feelings on the matter to support her dear friend's relationship as best she could.

Sai, thankfully, did not press any further on that topic. Instead, he ran his fingertips up and down her jawline and asked "So what will you wear to your wedding?"

Ino was caught completely off guard. "My…?" She composed herself with a laugh, stilling her hand. "And who, may I ask, am I going to be marrying, exactly?"

His hand twitched away as if her chin had suddenly turned white-hot and too painful to touch.

"You have to ask…I see." Sai murmured, more to himself than her. The muddled lethargy that had been slowly disappearing as they talked seemingly began to resurface.

Then all at once, a smile broke across his face. But it wasn't the same warm smile he always had for her, no, this was the fake, unfeeling mask he used to put on to hide his lack of feeling connections to others. Only now, he was masking something else entirely.

 _Hurt._

Ino didn't understand what she had said to make him feel this way, but to see him in any kind of pain because of her was absolutely unbearable. She reached up to curve her palm around his cheek as tenderly as she could and asked softly. "Sai? What is it?"

"It's nothing. I had just thought…" his eyelids dropped the tiniest bit before that insincere smile widened further under her thumb. "But I was wrong, wasn't I?"

It was then that the reason for his melancholy demeanor dawned on her: He had assumed that at this hypothetical wedding of hers, she would be marrying _him_. The thought of Sai even thinking about going through with something like that was almost humorous. That is, it would have been humorous had it not been for the current atmosphere, which now made it downright incredible. She gazed at him in awe. "Sai…you meant _our_ wedding…"

The mask broke. Sai looked at her earnestly and grasped her hand in his. "What we've been doing…Isn't this what a man and a woman who intend to marry each other do?"

The weight of this sank down into the deepest pit of her stomach. Throughout their affair, she had most certainly entertained the notion of someday becoming his wife. Heading her clan together. Bearing his children. Growing old by his side. The possibility only seemed to become increasingly appealing, not to mention _probable_ , as they spent more and more time together whether by themselves or on missions.

She did hold a deep-seated desire to marry him eventually, that much was certain, yet she had never brought it up. So…they never agreed they were going to marry, or even shared their intent, did they? But here he was, eagerly participating in activities that according to him, were things that happened when a couple wished to spend the rest of their lives together.

 _Then that would mean…_

Ino's heart flipped over in her chest. Slowly, she repositioned herself so she was lying half on top of him, looking directly into his eyes. A shaking breath drew in past her lips.

"Sai…do you love me?"

The faintest hint of pink slowly seeped into his pale cheeks. His dark eyes suddenly found a fraying edge of bedsheet near his hand utterly fascinating.

"I…believe so," he answered hesitantly, fingers stretching out to toy with a wisp of thread, "That is, for me, spending time with you is better than spending time with anyone else. Making you happy makes me feel…more alive, somehow." He smiled at her…genuinely, this time. "It is a bit confusing, actually."

At his words, warmth radiated out from her chest all the way to the tips of her toes. As insincere as those words would sound to anyone listening in, she knew him well enough to understand they were his way of confessing his feelings. His feelings for _her_.

 _He loves me._

If Sai had anything else to say at that moment, it needed to wait. Ino leapt up (as best she could from a lying position) to throw her arms around his neck and kiss him like she'd never kissed him before.

When she finally pulled back, it left him in a stunned daze. He blinked at her. "What was that for?"

Ino laughed and wove her fingers through his shaggy mop of hair, nuzzling his nose with hers. "Sai, you numbskull, why else would a girl kiss someone who just confessed he's in love with her?"

Sai shrugged. "I can think of lots of reasons."

Ino shook her head with a sigh. _Still as slow on the uptake as ever_ , she thought. It wasn't that she wanted to make him guess her feelings, it was that simply saying "I love you" now seemed so… _typical_ and too mainstream, especially after he had just expressed his feelings in a way that was uniquely Sai. Suddenly, an idea came to her; A small gesture from her that he couldn't _possibly_ misinterpret for anything else.

She kissed his forehead and rose from the bed. "Wait here."

It didn't take long to find a scrap piece of parchment (there was always one sitting somewhere within arms reach, it seemed) and a fountain pen on the small writing desk across the room. Carefully, Ino drew the pen across its surface in short, practiced strokes, then gently blew on the glistening ink until it dried.

Ino walked back to his bedside, grasping the finished product with both hands as she stood over him. "I made you something."

Sai squinted at the tiny piece of paper as his eyesight focused in the dimming light. It took several blinks before he glanced back at her, expression blank. "But you can't draw."

Whether it was a simple statement or a jab at her (lack of) artistic skills, Ino couldn't tell and couldn't care less. That was how good of a mood she was in.

"It's not a drawing. It's…ah…here, just take it." She shoved the parchment into his hands and climbed onto the bed behind him. As he silently took in her creation, she draped her arms around him, perching her chin on his shoulders. "So…what do you think?"

He didn't speak for the longest time, simply sitting and letting his eyes roam over what was written on the paper. But when he soon understood its significance and his entire face brightened, it was as if she was watching a child who had just been given the best birthday present he could hope for. The blush-tinged smile that appeared on his face was so pure, so _shy_ , she couldn't help the tears that came brimming forth.

"Yamanaka…Sai." he finally whispered out loud, tracing the characters again and again with his trembling index finger. With each pass, she could feel his heart beating faster and a swelling aura of wholesome, warm happiness emanating from him. "Yamanaka Sai. I like it."

Ino gently kissed his glowing cheek, letting his happiness soak in with a smile. _"Me, too."_

* * *

 _And that's it! :D_

 _I really hope it came across that Sai had come to the conclusion they were heading for marriage sometime after they started sleeping together, not that he started having sex with her because he thought it's what was supposed to happen and felt obligated to. I had a little trouble writing out that part and if it did come across that way I apologize, that was not my intention. DX_

 _Please review, visit my Tumblr, have a drink, do whatever make you happy. More writings to come in the future!_


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